Disclaimer: J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter.

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**FORGET ME**

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It had just been one year, one year of bliss, one year of sneaking through the castle in the middle of the night to meet, one year of falling, falling in love with this girl he had never glanced twice at before –

"Just – just – forget me, okay?"

She was looking up at him with tears in her eyes. "Forget me."

Draco couldn't believe his ears. "What – Hermione, why – "

"You know why." Her brown eyes were locked on his as she ran a hand up his left forearm. "We both know why."

"I haven't told anyone." His voice came out in a broken whisper.

"I know," she murmured back. "It has to stay that way. No one can know."

"If I – If I succeed, the Dark Lord – "

"Stop!" Her sharp cry rang out and her hands flew to her ears, covering them, eyes squeezed shut. A few teardrops slipped through the cracks.

"Hermione – " He reached out to her, grabbing her waist and pulling her into his embrace. "I can keep you safe," he said, his plea muffled by her hair. "I can."

Draco felt, rather than saw, her shake her head.

"You can't," Hermione said, pulling away. Tears were free-falling down her cheeks. "Only I can keep myself safe."

She turned and began to walk away.

"Hermione!" he called, grabbing her hand and stopping her in her tracks. "Hermione, wait – "

"No, Draco!" She yanked her hand out of his grip, and started backing away. "Just forget me, okay? Forget me."

She wouldn't even try.

The tears in her eyes couldn't discount the words falling from her mouth.

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After the battle, Hermione is drained. Emotionally, physically, mentally. She stands in the Great Hall, still staring at Voldemort's body. They haven't bothered to move it yet, and instead everyone is milling around it, staring.

The reporters arrive, with their flashing cameras and probing questions, turning everything into a story. The Aurors arrive too, and slap handcuffs on Death Eaters, taking their wands.

A commotion near the door attracts Hermione's attention. Narrowing her eyes, she fingers her wand in her pocket and slinks toward the growing crowd.

She pushes her way through to the center, people parting like the Red Sea for Hermione, muggle-born, Harry Potter's best friend. War hero.

"…and I'm telling you, if you arrest Draco Malfoy, you'll have to arrest all of us!"

That was Ginny's voice. Hermione gasps as she takes in the scene.

Ginny, Neville, Luna, Cho, Seamus, Dean, and at least half of the school (the three quarters that had stayed, the half of that who had survived) stand around Draco Malfoy, Daphne Greengrass, Theodore Nott, and Blaise Zabini. They face off against a squad of Aurors.

"Miss, I'm going to have to ask you to step back from the Undesirables – "

"Undesirable?" Ginny shrieks. "Two hours ago, Harry Potter was Undesirable Number One! And you would have arrested him, had you seen him, and turned him over to Voldemort to be killed! So, excuse me if I think your JUDGEMENT is SKEWED. Do you want me to call HARRY over here? Shall I get HIM to tell you to BACK OFF?"

The Aurors are backing away, and the students are drawing their wands.

"Okay, okay," the Aurors' spokesperson says hastily, hands in the air. "We'll – we'll revisit this at a later time, then."

The four of them back away carefully, until they're far away enough to turn around and run.

"Like hell we will," Ginny mutters after them, before turning around and falling into Blaise Zabini's arms.

"Ginny?" Hermione says hesitantly. Her gaze slides past her friend and lands on Draco. "Draco…"

Ginny, upon hearing her name, had pivoted to see Hermione. Now, seeing where Hermione's gaze had fallen, she moves forward. "Hermione, I don't think – "

But Hermione isn't listening. She walks forward with a singular intent, focusing on Draco's back. He had turned, speaking to Cho and Seamus. She keeps walking, until she's close enough to put her hand on his shoulder.

He whips around, wand half out, until he sees her.

Seamus shakes his head, eyes wide, behind Hermione. But she only has eyes for one person.

"Draco?"

Draco looks over Hermione's head at Ginny, who nods slightly.

A polite mask dilutes his features, even as he relaxes infinitesimally. He smiles blankly at Hermione, with no recognition at all.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?"

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